Water management system for sill assemblies

Abstract

An assembly for a door or window frame including an elongated sill and a corner key attached to each end of the sill. The corner key includes a water chamber for collecting water therein and a plurality of ports for diverting water from the water chamber outwardly through a drain port. The water chamber and plurality of ports are designed to temper a high-pressure gradient in the sill and effectively promote water egress away from the sill.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of assembling a door or window frame, comprising:
 providing an elongated sill having a first end and an opposite second end, the sill including a first chamber, a second chamber, and a third chamber, the first chamber operable for collecting and storing water entering the sill; and 
 providing a corner key having a sill-facing surface; and 
 coupling the corner key to the sill along the sill-facing surface, the corner key comprising:
 a first port formed along the sill-facing surface, the first port defining a first passage between the first and second chambers of the sill for allowing water to flow from the first chamber to the second chamber; 
 a second port formed along the sill-facing surface and offset from the first port, the second port defining a second passage between the second chamber and the third chamber of the sill for allowing water to flow from the second chamber to the third chamber; and 
 a drain in communication with the third chamber and operable to direct water from the third chamber out of the corner key. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , the corner key further including a chimney vent in communication with the second port, the chimney vent operable to divert air and water ingress away from the third chamber. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , the corner key further including a jamb-facing surface, the chimney vent having an opening formed along the jamb-facing surface. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , the corner key further including a channel formed on the jamb-facing surface, the channel being in communication with the chimney vent, the channel further including a series of baffles for collecting water moving through the chimney vent and channel. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , the corner key further including a jamb-facing surface and a passageway having a first opening along the jamb-facing surface and a second opening on the sill-facing surface of the corner key, the passageway being in communication with the channel via the first opening and the first chamber via the second opening to direct water present in the chimney vent to the first chamber. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , the corner key further including a rear vent in communication with the passageway, the rear vent operable to divert air ingress away from the first chamber. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 2 , the corner key further including a jamb-facing surface and a passageway having a first opening along the jamb-facing surface and a second opening on the sill-facing surface of the corner key, the passageway being in communication with the chimney vent via the first opening and the first chamber via the second opening to direct water present in the chimney vent to the first chamber. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , the corner key further including a rear vent in communication with the passageway, the rear vent operable to divert air ingress away from the first chamber. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a first flow rate of water through the first port is at least equal to a second flow rate of water through the second port. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated sill includes a first leg separating the first and second chambers from one another, and a second leg separating the second and third chambers from one another, and wherein the first leg is adjacent the first port and the second leg is adjacent the second port. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein coupling the corner key to the sill includes coupling the corner key to the sill with the first leg and the first port together defining a first passageway for water flowing between the first and second chambers, and the second leg and second port together defining a second passageway for water flowing between the second and third chambers. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , wherein coupling the corner key to the sill includes coupling the corner key to the sill for water moving between the first and second chambers and for moving into a portion of the first port in the first chamber, around the first leg and into the first passageway, and into a portion of the first port in the second chamber. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , the corner key further comprising an arm extending outwardly from the sill-facing surface and into the first chamber of the elongated sill body, the arm including a first leg and a second leg arranged in a generally orthogonal configuration. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first leg of the arm extends above a first portion of the first port, and wherein the second leg of the arm is positioned adjacent a second portion of the first port, the first and second legs impeding a flow of water and air moving from the second chamber into the first chamber via the first port. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of mounts formed along the sill-facing surface of the corner key, each of the mounts extending outwardly therefrom and coupling with one or more legs of the sill to support the sill and corner key in a mated configuration. 
     
     
       16. A method of manufacturing a corner key for a sill assembly comprising:
 forming a first face of the corner key with a port formed into and along the first face, the first face configured to face and couple to a sill of the sill assembly with the port fluidly connecting a first chamber of the sill and a second chamber of the sill, the port defining a first passage allowing water to flow from the second chamber to the first chamber; 
 forming a second face of the corner key with a chimney vent having a first vent opening in communication with the port, the chimney vent operable to divert air and water ingress entering the port, the chimney vent having a second vent opening formed along the second face of the corner key that is configured to face away from the sill; and 
 forming a channel along the second face of the corner key, the channel in communication with the second vent opening of the chimney vent, the channel including one or more walls arranged for collecting water moving through the chimney vent and the channel. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising forming a passageway in communication with the channel, the passageway having a first opening for directing water from the channel outwardly of the corner key through the first opening. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein forming the first face includes forming the first opening of the passageway along the first face of the corner key and offset from the port. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 17 , further comprising forming a rear vent in communication with the passageway, the rear vent operable to divert air ingress away from the passageway. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first face and second face of the corner key are arranged orthogonally relative to one another.